Khanyisa Chawane Had the Courage and Talent to Persevere Through Adversity
SPAR Proteas Centre and Stand Tall ambassador, Khanyisa Chawane, has overcome numerous obstacles in her life and career to become one of the most inspiring and respected athletes in the country.
Her story is one of perseverance, determination, and a relentless pursuit of excellence that continues to inspire and encourage young South Africans to always embrace their individuality and follow their dreams.
Born and raised in Mpumalanga, Chawane grew up in a modest household with her hardworking parents and siblings. Although her parents worked hard to provide for their family, like many South African families within peri-urban areas often struggled to make ends meet but despite such obstacles and the devastation of losing her mother at the age of 14, the importance of education and hard work was instilled in her very early.
Despite her parents’ being against her dream of playing netball and potentially becoming a professional netball player, her passion for netball and talent was discovered at a young age, where she selected to play for the provincial team when she was in Grade 6.
After completing high school, the Proteas player moved to Bloemfontein on a scholarship to study at the University of the Free State. It was in the Free State – close to 700 km’s away from home – where she joined the university netball team, honed her netball skills and eventually get scouted by the SPAR Proteas. “In my first year of joining the university team I had it very hard. At some point I wanted to let the netball dream go, but when I thought of my circumstances at home I couldn’t just give up. I knew I needed to push through, rise above it all and take on the challenges.” she elaborates.
She is a celebrated both locally and internationally having represented South African in both the Netball World Cup and the Commonwealth Games as well as she being name the Player of the Tournament at Varsity Netball, the Premier League and the National Championship.
Using netball as a support system, she has overcome the challenges she has faced in her career. From injuries to personal struggles as well as the constant pressure of performing at a high level. Netball allows her to forget about her struggles and focus on the tasks at hand. In retrospect and looking at the challenges she faced in her come-up she admits that, “Having the courage and ability to rise above circumstances makes us stand tall, as well as being brave and facing every challenge without giving up.”
Ahead of the 2023 Telkom Netball League, Chawane will be heading back to the Free State, where she will host a netball clinic at Lesedi Primary school in Botshabelo, and impart the skills that have aided her trajectory plus successes on and off the field. Her hard work and dedication have earned her a spot in the world cup squad and her story should be a paragon to aspiring netball players and the youth of South Africa.
‘Stand Tall’, launched by Premium Partner of the 2023 Netball World Cup, Telkom, is an initiative designed to use netball as catalyst to encourage South African youth to embrace their individuality, follow their dreams whilst growing participation in the sport ahead of the tournament.
Through shining a spotlight on South Africa’s netball heroes and sharing their personal stories, Stand Tall aims to illustrate to the youth that they can be their own heroes by turning their individuality and differences into strengths. You too can stand tall. So join the movement, click the link below to learn about Khanyisa’s story and be part of this empowering journey.
Khanyisa Chawane’s Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rw2mCm6yLQ
